Salad recipes

Chicken tostada salad piles a quick saute of chicken, beans, peppers, and lime over crisp lettuce, finished with cheddar, olives, and crushed tortilla chips. A 30-minute weeknight Tex-Mex bowl.

Taco salad with a fresh cumin vinaigrette, toasted tortilla chips, cooked turkey, ripe avocado, and cheddar. Lighter than the diner version with a sharp dressing in place of creamy sauce.

Ensalada compuesta is a Mexican-style stuffed tortilla layered with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, and melted cheddar, then piled high with lettuce, vegetables, and dressing. Hearty taco salad meets enchilada.

Loaded Spam sandwich on beefsteak rye with sharp cheddar, horseradish, Vidalia onion mustard, coleslaw, dill pickles, and thick Bermuda onion slices. A towering, no-apologies deli-style stack.

These chile cheese stuffed tomatoes were deliciously cheesy and juicy. We served these tomatoes with a salad and red wine mushroom sauce, yum!!! Definitely a keeper!

Crab and portabella melt: grilled mushroom caps topped with tomato, Old Bay crab salad, and melted cheddar. A bread-free open-face that eats like a proper sandwich.

Crispy oven-baked chicken breasts coated in taco-spiced breadcrumbs with chili, cumin, and oregano. Served taco-salad style with cheddar, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Mexican-style bow ties: hearty pasta salad with seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, cheddar, and a zippy yogurt-salsa dressing, topped with crushed tortilla chips. Warm or cold crowd-pleaser.